1. Field of Use
The present invention relates generally to medical imaging equipment. More specifically, it is directed to a film cassette holder for radiological imaging, which facilitates adjustably positioning imaging film adjacent, and separately configurable from, x-ray imaging equipment, and is used in conjunction therewith to produce a radiograph image on said film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical imaging, and particularly the use of roentgen rays, and films developed by exposure thereto, have been known for decades. It is well known that such equipment is generally cumbersome due to size constraints inherent in the equipment itself, and particularly the shielding required. Consequently, elaborate provisions have conventionally been provided for adjustability and directability of the imaging equipment to capture the various particular views of a patient's anatomy that may be desired by an attending physician.
Furthermore, because of the difficulty of adjusting the orientation of such equipment as a result of its bulk and weight, it has often been the practice of radiologists to adjust the relative positions of the patient, imaging film (enclosed in a film cassette or otherwise protected from ambient radiation), and the equipment's radiation source so as to obtain the desired medical imaging result. This, too, however, is difficult in many cases, and further can be uncomfortable (if not painful) for the patient depending upon the particular affliction involved and area of the anatomy being imaged in a particular instance.
Those concerned with the art have recognized the desirability of providing greater adjustability in the relative orientations and positional relationships of the source of roentgen rays or other radiation to the patient and the film to be exposed in order to facilitate more convenient imaging of the portion of anatomy of the patient of interest. For example, these provisions include being able to position and orient the patient in a number of possible positions by changing the orientation and/or the position of the table of the imaging equipment whereon the patient, or the desired portion of the patent's anatomy, is placed, said table containing or supporting the film cassette containing film to be exposed, and correspondingly changing the position and/or orientation of the radiation source. However, provisions for moving the imaging equipment have not provided medical imaging of this type which is, in all cases, convenient or free of discomfort for the patient. Because of its bulk and weight, changes in position and orientation of the equipment occur relatively slowly in conventional equipment. Valuable time is lost changing configurations, or rather, the patient is required assume uncomfortable or inconvenient positions during imaging processes.
In response to these and other concerns, cassette holders have been devised to position the film cassette in relation to the patient and the source of radiation, such cassette holders being independent devices. For example, certain conventional cassette holders comprise a wheeled, vertically adjustable stand, having a transverse swinging boom incorporating a cassette tray at one end. Said cassette tray is usually pivotable with respect to said boom. To counter the weight of the boom and cassette tray and an inserted cassette, ballast may be provided at the opposite end of such a conventional boom.
Such conventional cassette holders provide increased flexibility and convenience in medical imaging, but such cassette holders may inherently be somewhat unstable, requiring the patient to manually steady the cassette during imaging. For example, such steadying is conventionally required in a tangential (axial) projection of the patella, for example. Alternately, the operator of the imaging equipment may use towels or other materials to position and steady the film cassette, or simply have the patient hold the film cassette without using a cassette holder. This use of towels and the like is common, for example, in the axial projection of the intercondyloid fossa.
Moreover, due to the above-mentioned ballasting, and/or rigidity desirable in conventional cassette holders, such conventional cassette holders can be themselves quite heavy and cumbersome. These considerations make these conventional cassette holders inconvenient to use in certain applications.
What is recognized as desirable, and is provided by the present invention, is a way to more conveniently position and orient an X-ray or other radiation responsive film cassette in relation to a radiation source and a portion of the patient's anatomy to be imaged for convenient, and more comfortable for the patient relative orientation and positioning of the film, patient, and radiation source.